Nicolas Cage was the perfect Ghost Rider in a manner of speaking. He has the craze of a comic book personality in real life, he is a big fan of the character, and he is an absolute treat to watch on the big screen.
However, his moment to shine may have come at a time too soon considering Marvel regained the rights to the character after the release of Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, which means that the character would soon get better treatment which would entail better writing, better CGI, etc. Therefore, this is how Ghost Rider had a perfect cast yet it was a missed opportunity.
The Highs: Stellar Casting Choice
Nicolas Cage was an excellent casting choice for the Ghost Rider considering his enthusiasm when it comes to comic book characters. In addition to his familiarity with the character, he already had more than enough talent and skill as an actor to play this daredevil from hell.
Most of his films have featured him playing a character that is either slightly or completely off the hinges. The fact that Nicolas Cage actually worked out to the point where fans were convinced that abs were completely CGI is a testament to just how much dedication the actor had for the role.
Eva Mendes, although not posing many similarities to the role of Roxanne Simpson also changed her diet plans so as to look as voluptuous to her character in the comics.
The Lows: Missed Opportunities in Casting
While lead actors were near perfect to play their character counterparts, the supporting cast was heavily underutilized. The best example for a missed opportunity in this department would be Idris Elba who played Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance. The other big examples would go to Sam Elliot’s role as Carter Slade in the first installment alongside Peter Fonda as Mephisto.
Even though their roles were not exactly impacting the plot a lot, their scenes always left the audience wanting more from their characters. Hopefully, Ghost Rider’s entry into the MCU would be an opportunity to avoid the mistakes made by these films.
Did You Know This About Ghost Rider?
- Nicolas Cage is a huge fan of Ghost Rider. He even had a tattoo of Ghost Rider, which for obvious reasons had to be covered up while filming.
- Mark Steven Johnson invested his own funds to create an action scene where Ghost Rider faces off against a chopper.
- A three-dimensional X-ray of Nicolas Cage’s real skull was used to create the computer-generated skull for the actor.
- It’s one of the few “Marvel Comic”-based films without Stan Lee. He played absolutely no part in developing the first Ghost Rider.
Conclusion: Riding Towards a Brighter Future
With Ghost Rider already making a sneaky entrance into the MCU through the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series, opportunity knocks on Marvel’s door. Many comic book readers are curious as to when Ghost Rider would return to television. Some believe that visiting Battleworld in Avengers: Secret Wars would be the ideal opportunity and may even provide Nicolas Cage the chance to reclaim the role. This would allow for several one-off cameos from other realities, including 2007’s Ghost Rider.
The canonical status of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe is not yet known. By the time Gabriel Luna assumed the role of Ghost Rider, the issue of whether it was canon in the MCU had already come up. As a result, it is also unknown whether Luna’s Robbie Reyes is canon to the MCU.
Also Read: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Easter Eggs And References
